River Deltas

Abstract

Deltas are the “gifts” of rivers to the sea. They result from, and are molded by, interacting fluvial and marine forces. Since ancient times river deltas have been of fundamental importance to civilization. Owing to their early significance as agricultural lands, deltas received considerable attention from such scholars as Homer, Herodotus, Plato, and Aristotle. Today deltaic accumulations play a paramount role in accommodating the world’s energy needs: Ancient deltaic sediments provide source beds and reservoirs for a large fraction of the known petroleum reserves.